Tag: pressurecooked

MS. MAKI.

✿ It was almost surreal, really- seeing her stern teacher smiling so genuinely, the corners of his eyes pushed upwards by the folds of his skin, alight with understanding. For a brief moment, it had truly felt as if everything was right in the world. She’d spent so much of her life in isolation, thoroughly convinced that nobody would ever be able to truly understand her- and then Elliot presented her with the missing piece of her life’s puzzle, and everything clicked together.

   She didn’t have to hide herself anymore- not around Mr. Kaufman, at least. Relaxed in his presence, the girl would slide herself out of the passenger seat and trail along his footsteps, fetching what bags she could out from the trunk. “White Lion, huh? Is that his name?” Mio inquired as she hefted her bags in her arms, cradling them against her chest.

   Her parents had yet to return from work for the day, meaning that for now, the house was completely empty. Surely they wouldn’t mind if she invited her teacher inside for a little while? After all, it would be rude of her to let him go without a reward- perhaps a cup of tea would suffice?

                       _{———WITHIN THE HOUSE, THERE WAS MUCH THAT DREW HIS ATTENTION. his mind lingered on his own childhood home, what little pictures of family there were among the meager decor inside. he supposed this was not as normal as he’d initially believed, seeing the homey-ness of mio’s residence.}

      _{pulling off his shoes, the german set them aside in the mudroom. he didn’t dare take off his coat just yet, not wanting to impose by making it seem like he’d stay long. with a smile, the man allowed the girl to lead the way.}

     

❝ since you asked, that is my stand’s name. ❞
as the kettle began to steam faintly from the kitchen, elliot seated himself down on top of his jacket. it seemed there was much more to talk about.

     

❝ does yours have one? no pressure. ❞

MAKI-SAN.

✿ The girl swallowed hard as they were wrenched around the corner and into the open streets, keeping her eyes trained on his enigmatic grin. Had she seen something that she wasn’t supposed to? Mio wouldn’t have doubted that for a moment- there had always been something off about this man. He exuded an aura unbefitting of a mere rank-and-file teacher, he draped himself in refineries and luxuries that others in his position could only dream of obtaining.

   But most importantly, he’d been watching over her closely since the beginning of the semester. Sometimes, Mio would catch him stealing cool glances in her direction, as if he were waiting for something- the right moment to strike perhaps? Shuddering at the thought, the girl would wrap her arms around herself and attempt to steady her erratic breaths. 

   Something like a sigh or a gasp involuntarily slipped past her trembling lips at the moment that he’d come to a full stop and mentioned the incident that tied everything together. The pieces were beginning to click into place; “W-wait, you saw it? You could see the ‘alien’, as well…?”

                     _{———THE QUESTION EARNED HER A SMILE UNLIKE THE ONES HE TENDED TO PUT ON. genuine and of greater substance, the man kept his eyes on the road but almost wished he could face her in that moment.}

      _{he’d always been sort of intense, for very viable reasons. growing up in a place that did not forgive even the most innocent of children, he’d been shaped into monster and man through others’ motivations. never once did he get the sort of mentorship that came without a price. it meant something to him that he could do this for mio, that he could allow her the kind of guidance without manipulation or lies.}

     

coming up to the end of the street where maki lived, the began to search for a place to park closer to her house. the amount of bags she had would be cumbersome to carry all the way, but in the end, he slid the car into the first spot he saw, and exited the car to help.

     

❝ maki-san, there is much to talk about, but i’d like to tell you, 「WHITE LION」 isn’t anything to be afraid of. ❞

MAKI.

✿ He was only having a smoke break- he’d told her so himself, so why were the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end? Where was this endless sense of dread coming from? With her eyes transfixed on his every movement, Mio could only watch on helplessly as he played her right into his hands; made to bear witness to an ashen arm and stark white flames.

   With a yelp, the girl hiked her knees upwards, balling herself up defensively. Despite her best efforts to erase their supernatural encounter from her mind, the damned spirit had returned. The girl was reeling- why was her teacher doing this to her? He had to have some form of control over that lionesque figure; it had deigned itself to light his cigarette for him, after all.

   But then again, if that were the case, then shouldn’t he have been able to see it back then, in the school’s hallways? If he’d seen it, then he wouldn’t have pulled her out of class the day after to question her, because he would have known perfectly well what had frightened her so. That was, unless he was feigning innocence? Against her better judgement, Mio took his bait.

   “Mr. Kaufman, did you see something strange just now..?”

 

             

             

———SHE’D FALLEN SO GRACEFULLY INTO HIS WEB. he almost wanted to play dumb and see what would happen. finishing his cigarette, the man tossed it beneath the tire of a moving car. green eyes averted, he entered the car and buckled in.

       _{❝ …did you? ❞
it was a question that hung heavier than the metal trappings of the steel cage. smiling into the rear view mirror, the man adjusted it just so he could easily pull out from the tight space. eyes on the road, he never turned his gaze to look at the girl.}

     

❝ i saw something too. you may not even remember it, that day you dropped your pencil. ❞
he added, finally. stopped at a light not far from where they began, he let his eyes linger for half of a second. she was young, probably never realizing what it was she had. the innate ability of a stand often manifested in youth, but there were some who only got it after some outside meddling. the stand arrow.

     

❝ i saw an alien pick it up. ❞

MAKI.

✿
“-Oh! Um, thank you, Mr. Kaufman…”
She’d never asked for him to carry her groceries, and yet he forged on ahead , doing as he saw fit, recognizing her struggles and actively working to counterbalance them. It was a nice change of pace from their last private conversations, as stunted and uncomfortable as they were.

   Perhaps their relationship as student and teacher could still be salvaged- maybe she wouldn’t have to live in fear of him any longer. The mere thought of that alone was more than enough to bring a reassured smile to her face. “Yes,” she replied dutifully between bouts of giggles, “I’ve been studying very hard recently, so I should be well-prepared when the time comes.”

   Never mind that the true reason why she’d begun taking her English studies more seriously was so that she could make amends for the ‘spider incident’. Mio respectfully dipped her head at the sound of the passenger door being pried open- by the time that he’d delivered his next question, she had already taken the liberty of buckling herself in.

   Having no reason to refuse him, Mio nodded in response while she settled her groceries on her lap. “-No, I don’t mind. You can go on ahead, I’ll simply wait here until you’re finished.”

        _{———He nodded, pulling a half pack of Dunhills from his shirt pocket.
The brand had always been his favorite, the even smoke and delicate taste indicative of the luxury pricing. He could afford such luxuries, even without working the same job.}

       

The man had carved a little success for himself in place of his previous occupation. Killing had always paid well, and boy was he good at it. Retiring from that scene took balls, but in the end, he’d been clean for about a decade. Strange how one misses the rush that came with the job description.

       

Placing the end of the cigarette into his mouth, the man waited to make sure Mio was looking without showing he was aware. Pausing, he called forth White Lion, a mere fraction of the Stand enveloping his arm and lighting the end of the cigarette.

       

❝ I’ll be ready in a bit, Maki-san. ❞